Apparatus for the development of photographic printing papers by means of gaseous developing agents



2,058,983 APPARATUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT on PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING Oct. 27, 1936. J. HORN PAPERS BY MEANS OF GASEOUS- DEVELOPING AGENTS Filed Oct. 20, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l J. HORN Oct. 27, 1936.

APPARATUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PAPERS BY MEANS OF GASEOUS DEVELOPING AGENTS Filed Oct. 20, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 QIIIIII IIIILH HEA 1! N6, con.

INSULATING MATERIAL IIII J. HORN Oct. 27, 1936.

APPARATUS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PAPERS BY MEANS OF GASEOUS DEVELOPING AGENTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 20, 1934 HHHII Patented Oct. '27, 1936 UNITED STATES 'WPATENT oer-Ice APPARATUS FORTHE DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING PAPERS BY MEANS 'OF GASEOUS DEVELOPING AGENTS Josef Horn, Wiesbaden-Biebrieh, Germany, assignor to Kalle & Co. Aktiengese'llschaft, Wiesbaden-Biebrich, Germany Application October 20, 1934, Serlal'No. 749,294 In Germany October 23, 1933 13 Claims. (Cl. 95-94) practice, particularly because .tapes or cords are subjectedto very considerable wear and tear andconsequently have a comparatively short life. Moreover, tapes, bands or cords hinder complete development owing to the fact that they become moist and frequently leave upon the copies marks, particularly longitudinal stripes.

The subject of the present invention 'is'a photographic developing apparatus employing a gaseous developer, in which the. mentioned draW- backs are avoided by passing the copies to be developed by means of at least two. driven rollers through a' slit like channel arranged in the developing chamber and formed by fixed members, the wallsof said channel being interrupted to permit the developing gasto act on the material to be developed. The channel consists of two parts,

' ing the developed material.

nected with one another by means of a curved passage. For feeding and discharging the material to be developed and also for 'moving'it through the channel, driving rollers are so arranged in gaps provided in the walls of the channels that they prdject into the channel to such an extent that they touch the opposite walls which may be formed at these points by, pressing members, for instance resilient pressing bands or press-- ing rollers, serving to ensure the passage of the copies from the transporting rollers into the slotlike channel and vice versa. The materialto be developed enters into the inlet slit of the machine, passes through one part of the channel, is defiected behind the last roller, and passes with'reversed direction through the other, part of the chan'nel'and back to the outlet slit, where it is,

discharged. The action of the developing gases on the copies takes place mainly during the passage of the copies through the said channel ports, which are preferably made of perforated sheet iron or in the form of grids or wire nettings. improved apparatus has the advantage that it may be built for any desired capacity without any difficulty by lengthening the transport path, for instance bylarranging in series a considerable number of transport rollers and guiding channels. Moreover, the 'efilciency of the machine and particularly the speed of transport of. the copies The may be increased by increasing the length of the path of the copies in the gas space. I Thedistance between two consecutive .driven rollers depends upon the minimum length of the sheets to be developed by means of the apparatus. If, for instance, size (2lx29.7 cm.) is the smallest size treated, the distance between two consecutive cooperative transport rollers may be about 270 mm.

,A constructional form of apparatus is shown by way of example in cross-section in Fig. 1' of the accompanying drawings but no limitation should 7 be understood by this construction. Another constructional form is shown by Fig. 2 Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the transporting device of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a section along line A--B of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows a constructional form of the heaters shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig 6 is a cross-section on .the line A-B of Fig. 5.

In the developing casing l of Fig. 1, which is mounted on the bases 48, there are provided three driven transport rollers 2, 3, 4. Between the rollers are provided slot-like guiding channels which are made of perforated sheet iron plates or gridsB, 6, 1, 8, 9, I0, H I2.

At the points where the rollers are projecting into the inner wall of the guiding channel the outer wall is reor strips I3, l4, l5, 16, which press the paper to be transported against the rollers and thus ensure proper carrying of the paper by adhesion.

In order to ensure passing of the sheets from the rollers into the guiding channels, .and vice versa, scrapers l7, 18, I9, 20, 2|, made, for instance, of spring steel, are provided at the top rear points of the perforated guide members. The last transportroller, in the example shown the roller 4, is provided with asingle bent pressing member 22, which; deflects the paper and changes the direction of its movement. Safe passage of the paper from the rollers into the guide channels is also ensured by the fact that the perforated walls of the channel and the pressing members over.-. or under-lap each other in a, suitable manner. The channels and the pressing members are fixed and supported by means of ledges 23, 24, 25,

placed by means of resilient pressing members I 26, 21, 28, 29, 30, 3|, 32, 33, 34 mounted on the walls of the casing.

Feeding of the developing apparatus with ammonia may, for instance, be effected by allowing ammonia water to fall drop by drop from a container and a pipe 35 into a trough I heated by means of a heating member 41. The trough 36 has a certain fall or inclination and is fed at the highest point so that the ammonia water running down along the trough gradually evaporates. This ensures the whole developing space being uniformly supplied with gas. Heating bodies 31, 38, 39, 40, 4|, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 are also provided at various points above and below the guide channels,'and heat the members guiding the paper to a suflicient extent to avoid any condensation of water existing in the developing space upon the guiding members. After leaving the developing space the sheets enter a discharge chamber 49, the upper walls of which are perforated below which there is provided a heating body 50, which drives out any gases adhering to the sheets. The driven out gases are drawn off by means of a suction pipe 54 arranged above the discharge chute. The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The sheets are fed in at the inlet opening ii, are gripped by the first roller 2 and the resilient pressing member l3 and are transported by the rotation of the roller into the first guide channel constituted by the perforated members 9 and Ill, thescaper I'I ensuring a reliable separation of the paper from the roller and a satisfactory entry into the guide channel. At the end of this guide channel the papers are gripped by the roller 3 and the corresponding pressing member I! and passed into the next following guide channel, the scraper 20 ensuring a reliable separation of the paper from the roller and a satisfactory entry into the guide channel. From the second guide channel the paper passes to the roller 4, and is pressed by the curved pressing member 22 against the roller 4 and reversed. The paper then reaches the lower guide channels, moving first under the roller 3 back to the roller 2 and finally entering at the point 52 the discharge chute 49. In this discharge chute 49 the paper is freed from gas and finally leaves the apparatus at the point 53. During the passage of the paper through the guide channels formed by perforated members 5; 6, 1, 8, 9, II), II, i2, ammonia gas produced in the heated trough- 36 acts upon the paper, the heating bodies 31, 38, 39, 40, 4i, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 preventing any formation of condensation or any deposition of condensed water, and improving and accelerating the developing process.

Another constructional form of apparatus is I shown by Fig. 2. The developing chamber l' is enclosed by means of a further casing 55 with a suction pipe 56 in said casing in addition to suetion pipe 54' for preventing any gas from penetrating to the surrounding air. In the chamber I there are provided two driven rollers 2 and 3'. Between these rollers are provided slot-like channels, which are made of the perforated plates 5' and 6 and the wire netting 51, which latter also reaches around the roller 3'. The resilient pressing members l3 and I4 press the material to be developed against the roller 2 and thus ensure proper carrying of the paper by adhesion.

The roller 58 is provided with disk like elements the developing apparatus with ammonia may, for instance, be effected by allowing ammonia water toi'all drop by drop from the container 60 and the pipe 35 into a trough 3G heated by means of heating-members 41 and 41". Heating bodies31, 38', 39', 40, 4|, 42' are provided at various points above and below the guide channels. After leaving the developing space the sheets enter a discharge chamber 49 the upper walls of which are perforated, below which there are provided heating bodies 50 an". 50". The sheets enter at the point 5i and are discharged at the point 53'. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the rolls 2' and 3' of Fig. 2, the wire netting 51 and the diskroller 58 projecting through the wire netting 51 and touching the roller 3'. In Fig. 4 Bi indicates rubber rings serving to ensure the adhesion of the sheets.

I claim:

1. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source 01' developing gas in said chamber, an inlet slit and an outlet slit in said chamber, arranged one above the other in the same wall of the chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the walls of said channels and in said gaps transport rollers fitted in projecting into said channels touching the opposite walls of said channels which walls are provided at these points with resilient pressing members, said rollers serving for transporting the material to be developed through said channels.

2. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet slit and an outlet slit in said chamber, arranged one above the other in the same wall of the chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the walls of said channels and in said gaps transport rollers fitted in projecting into said channels touching the opposite walls of said channels, which walls are provided at these points with resilient pressing members. the rollers serving for transporting the material to be developed through said channels and said curved passage, and heating devices in said developing chamber near said channels.

3. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet slit and an outlet slit in said chamber, arranged one above the other in the same wall of the chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the inner walls of both said channels opposite to another and in said gaps transport rollers fitted in having a diameter, which is nearly equal to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels, projecting into both said channels touching the outer walls of said channels and serving for transporting the material to be developed through walls of both said channels opposite to another said channels, and heating devices in said developing chamber near said channels.

51. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber,

an inlet slit and an outlet slitin said chamber, arranged one abovethe other in'the same wall of the chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in Connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels beingin connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the inner andin said gaps transport rollers fitted in having a diameter, which is nearly equal to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels projecting into both said channels and touching the outer walls of said channels, a gap in the inner wall of said curved passage and a roller fitted intouching the outer wallof said passage, the rollers serving for transporting the material to be developed through said channels and said curved passage, and heating devices in said developing chambernear said channels.

' 5. A device forgaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber,

' an inlet slit and an outlet slit in said chamber,

arranged one above the other in the same wall of the, chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the inner walls of both said channels opposite to another and in said gaps transport rollers fitted in having a diameter,.- which is nearly equal to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels, projecting into both said channels touching the outer walls of said channels, which walls are provided at these points with resilient pressing members, one of the rollers tightly fitted in at the beginning of both said channels, the rollers serving for transporting the material to be developed through said channels, and heating devices in said developing chamber near said channels.

6. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamher, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet slitand an outlet slit in said chamber, arranged one above the other in the same wall of the chamber, two slit like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of a curved passage, gaps in the inner walls of both said channels opposite to another and in said gaps transport rollers fitted in having a diameter, which is nearly equalto the distance between the outer walls of both the channels, projecting into both said channels and touching the outer walls of said channels, which walls are" provided at these points with resilient pressing members,

one of the rollers tightly fitted in between the inlet slit and the outlet slit, a gap in the inner wall of said curved passage and a roller fitted in touching the outer wall of, said curved passage,

- which wall is substituted at this point by a resilnels being connected with another by means of an. interrupted curved passage, gaps in the inner walls of'both said channels opposite to another and in said gapstransport rollers fitted in pro- 15 jecting into both said channels, having a diameter which is nearly equal [to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels and touching the. outer walls of said channels, which walls are provided at these points with resilient 20 pressing members, one of the rollers tightly fitted in between the feeding point respectively the discharging point of both said channels, a gap in the inner wall of said curved passage, in said gap a transport roller fitted in, a pressing roller com- 25 prising disk-like elements projecting with said elements through interruptions of the outer wall of said passage and touching saidtransport roller, the rollers serving for transporting the said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, two slit-like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being inconnec- 40 tion with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of the outer walls of said channels being connected with another by means of a curved resilient pressing band, a roller between the inlet opening and theoutlet opening 45 tightly fitted in by means of resilient pressing bands, the roller having "a diameter, which is nearly equal to the distance between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, another roller between the free ends of the inner walls of said 50 channels touching said curved resilient pressing .band, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length of the material to be dei/eloped, and heating devices near said chan- 55 no s.

9. A device for gaseous development of ligh sensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet and an outlet slit in said chamber, said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, two slit-- like channels in said chamber formed by means of an inner perforated plate and an outer. wire netting and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of the outer wire netting, a'roller between said channels at their beginning tightly fitted in, the diameter of the roller being '70 nearly equal to the distance between, the outer I walls of both the channels, which walls are substituted by resilient pressing bands at the points where they touch the roller, anothen rollerbetween the free ends of the inner walls of the channels forming together with the outer wire netting a curved passage, a pressing roller comprising disk-like elements projecting through the outer wire netting and touching the transport roller, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length of the material to be developed, and heating devices near said channels.

10. A device for gaseous development of lightsensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet slit and an outlet slit in said chamber, said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, two slit-like channels in said chamber formed by means of interrupted walls and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of the outer walls ofsaid channels being connected with another by means of a curved resilient pressing band, a roller between the-inlet opening and the outlet opening tightly fitted in by means of resilient pressing bands, the roller having a diameter, which is nearly equal to the distance between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, another roller between the free ends of the inner walls of said channels touching said curved resilient pressing band, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length of the material to be developed, and heating devices near said channels, and a degassing chamber immediately adjacent to the outlet opening for degassing the developed sheets.

11. A device for gaseous development of light sensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet and an outlet slit in said chamber, said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, two slitlike channels in said chamber formed by means of an inner perforated plate and an outer wire netting and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends of said channels being in connection with another by means of the outer wire netting, a roller be tween said channels at their beginning tightly fitted in, the diameter of the roller being nearly equal to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels, which walls are substituted by resilient pressing bands at the points where they touch the roller, another roller between the free ends of the inner walls of the channels forming together with the outer wire netting a curved passage,' a pressing roller comprising disk-like elements projecting through the outer wire netting and touching the transport roller, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length or the material to be developed, heating devices near said channels, and a degassing chamber immediately adjacent to the out let opening for degassing the developed sheets.

12. A device for gaseous development of light sensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet and an outlet slit in said chamber, said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, two slit-like channels in said chamber formed by means of an inner perforated plate and an outer wire netting and being in connection with the inlet slit and the outlet slit respectively, the free ends oflsaid channels being in connection with another by means of the outer wire netting, a roller between said channels at their beginning tightly fitted in, the diameter of the roller being nearly equal to the distance between the outer walls of both the channels, which walls are substituted by resilient pressing bands at the points where they touch the roller, another roller between the free ends of the inner walls of the channels forming together with the outer wire netting a curved passage, a pressing roller comprising disk-like elements projecting through the outer wire netting and touching the transport roller, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length of the material to be developed, heating devices near said channels and a degassing chamber immediately adjacent to the outlet opening for degassing the developed sheets, the developing chamber surrounded with a protective casing for preventing any gas to penetrate to the arrounding air.

13. A device for gaseous development of light sensitive material comprising a developing chamber, a source of developing gas in said chamber, an inlet and an outlet slit in said chamber, said slits being arranged one above the other in the same wall of the developing chamber, a slit-like channel in said chamber formed by means of two parallel inner perforated plates and an outer wire netting extending around the free ends of said perforated plates, a roller between the inlet slit and the outlet slit tightly fitted in by means of pressing bands, the diameter of the roller being nearly equal to the distance between the inlet opening and the' outlet opening, another roller between the free ends of said perforated plates forming together with the outer wire nettinga curved passage, a resilient pressing roller comprising disk-like elements projecting through the outer wire netting and touching the transport roller, the distance between this touching point and the inlet respectively the outlet opening being smaller than the length of the material to be developed, heating devices near said channel and a degassing chamber immediately adjacent to the outlet opening for degassing the developed sheets, the developing chamber surrounded with a protective casing for preventing any gas to penetrate to the arrounding air.

' JOSEF HORN. 

